What is the meaning of Psalm 119:150?

Those who follow after wickedness

• The phrase identifies deliberate pursuers of evil, not the occasional stumbler. Scripture portrays such people as actively scheming: “For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are robbed of slumber unless they make someone fall” (Proverbs 4:16).

• Their behavior is willful and sustained. Romans 1:29–32 catalogs those “filled with all unrighteousness,” underscoring that wickedness is a chosen path rather than an accident.

• By opening with this clause, the psalmist affirms that evil has real agents in the world. Believers must recognize the presence of those who intentionally oppose God (2 Timothy 3:13).

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draw near

• Evil people “draw near” in the sense of proximity and pressure. The psalmist often experiences their pursuit: “The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies” (Psalm 119:95).

• Closeness here means threat, not fellowship—similar to how Jesus observed, “My betrayer is at hand” (Matthew 26:46).

• For the faithful, this reminds us that hostility can feel immediate: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). Yet the nearness of God (Psalm 34:18) remains greater than any encroaching wickedness.

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they are far from Your law

• Though physically close to the psalmist, the wicked stand at a vast moral distance from God’s instruction. Jeremiah 6:19 declares, “They have not listened to My words and have rejected My instruction.”

• Distance from God’s law produces blindness: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Rejecting truth leaves them without the light that guides (Psalm 119:105).

• The contrast is stark: closeness in attack, remoteness in obedience. They may surround the believer, but they are estranged from the very standard that guarantees life (Deuteronomy 32:47).

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summary

Psalm 119:150 highlights a paradox: evildoers can stand right next to God’s people while standing far away from God Himself. Their pursuit is intentional, their presence intimidating, yet their hearts have rejected the life-giving authority of God’s Word. The verse reassures believers that closeness of opposition never nullifies the unchanging truth of Scripture, which remains our sure defense and ultimate judge of all who stray from its commands.